


#97 It's Just You and Me (and the Dog too)

by baekedaelights, luxnoctre



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Apocalypse, Baekchen - Freeform, Cuddling, Every Side Character Dies, Fluff, I just don't know how to English, M/M, Violence, Vivi - Freeform, Zombies, because there's zombies, but can't, creepers, kinda betaed, no regrets, not really - Freeform, some blood, sorta angst, they want to have sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 07:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20578871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baekedaelights/pseuds/baekedaelights, https://archiveofourown.org/users/luxnoctre/pseuds/luxnoctre
Summary: It's always been Jongdae and Baekhyun together against the rest of the world. Until an unfamiliar animal companion walks in.





	#97 It's Just You and Me (and the Dog too)

Jongdae wakes to the sound of birds chirping. He immediately grabs for the worn out grip of his trusty machete, resting by his side. His senses go into overload, his ears straining to hear the tell-tale signs of clattering teeth and low groans. 

But there was nothing but the cheerful sounds of birds greeting the new morning. After a couple seconds longer, Jongdae relaxes, forcing himself up into a sitting position. A couple feet away, the nearby bushes rustle and a messy mop of light brown hair emerges. 

“Oh, you’re awake already?” Baekhyun calls out with a smile. His long bow is strapped to his back and a serrated knife hangs at his belt. In his arms, he holds a pile of firewood that he lets fall to the ground. Jongdae winces at the sharp noise before opening his arms up for a hug that Baekhyun gladly gives him. Baekhyun gives Jongdae a sloppy kiss on the cheek, making Jongdae squeal with disgust.

“Ugh,” Jongdae says, wiping his cheek and giving Baekhyun a sleepy pout, “I’m going to leave your sorry ass for the Creepers next time we hunt.” 

Baekhyun laughs, a melodic sound that rings like silver bells. “Aw but who else would be able to take care of you like this, Dae?” Baekhyun teases. He suddenly claps his hands and pulls out a small pouch from his pocket. “Look what I found for us!” 

Jongdae snatches the dangling pouch and opens it. “Are these-?” Jongdae asks hesitantly. 

“I found a field of Kyoho grapes!” Baekhyun looks pleased as he pops a handful of berries into his mouth. 

“And you are sure these are safe?” Jongdae says, looking at the fruit suspiciously. 

Baekhyun nods quickly, his mouth full of fruit. “Tested it, it has super low levels of rad.” Only then, did Jongdae smile and bite into a couple grapes. He couldn’t resist letting out a small moan at how sweet and juicy they were. 

Licking the juice off his fingers, Jongdae rises and stretches languidly. He frowns at his tattered shirt, fresh with holes from yesterday’s hunt. “We need to go find new clothes,” Jongdae comments, helping Baekhyun pack up their tent. They work efficiently, movements in sync with each other. There really isn’t much to clean, as the couple knew the advantages of traveling light and being ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Baekhyun manages to steal another kiss from an unsuspecting Jongdae, who bats him away with a whine.

“Did you hear the birds?” Baekhyun asks, plopping down on the ground and taking out a vial of oil. Jongdae sits down next to him and starts to apply to scented oil on Baekhyun’s arms and legs. 

“Yup,” Jongdae responds, “That must mean the animals are recovering right?” 

Baekhyun gives an affirming hum as he starts to rub oil on Jongdae’s muscled arms. Jongdae closes his eyes, his mind still hazy with sleep, and leans back into Baekhyun as memories threaten to overcome him.

\----

Jongdae was with his family when the world first started to end.

At first, it seemed like a contained disaster. A failed nuclear plant in the heart of one of the world’s most powerful countries. Radiation consumed the Breadbasket of the world, threatening food supplies for over a billion people. But other countries had prepared for something like this, so food was in no danger.

But then the news came that the fallout had knocked out a nearby biochemical factory, displacing thousands of chemicals into the already failing environment. Areas far from the original nuclear disaster started to receiving high levels of containment, both from the traveling radiation and the deadly chemicals. Slowly, but surely, those people started to starve.

But nothing could compare to the horror unleashed by the factory; a parasitic virus, intended for warfare, that dug deep into the brain and turned its host into blood tracking zombies. It could only be spread through contact with the newly created monsters. So Jongdae and the rest of the world watched as the virus consumed the formerly strong country and collapsed it into ruins. Other countries in the world acted swiftly and decisively; they shut down all transportation in and out of the virus infected land. “The Fallen” governments called the blood monsters. The virus was named “X13” and the event became known as the “Surge”. The governments reassured their people that there was no way that the virus could spread to other continents, not when all modes of transportation was shut down.

The media had a more negative stance on things, calling the zombies “Creepers” and displaying gruesome images from encounters. Pale humans, shrunken to a shell of their former self, with bloody hands and foaming mouths. They were attracted to the smell of blood, and would go into a frenzy on the hunt. 

Despite the horror, life still continued on. As time passed, people grew more complacent, moving with their daily lives, for there was no news that the virus had reached other countries. Jongdae still attended university and sang his heart out at the nightclub. Only the paranoid stocked on supplies and built hidden shelters. 

Then there was a massive outcry; the scientists discovered that the virus was evolving. Its original source of hosts being depleted, the virus evolved to become air transmitted. Within a week, every country had its own host of Creepers roaming the land. Mass panic spread as people rushed to stores, shelters, desperate to cling to any chance of survival. More and more people succumbed to the virus, their brains being eaten from the inside. But with the spread, another shocking discovery was made. There were those who were immune to X13. Called “the Chosen”, these people escaped from the virus’ clutches and formed small groups, fighting against creepers for another chance at life. 

Jongdae didn’t discover he was a Chosen until later in the apocalypse. He and the rest of his family, like everyone else, fled into an underground shelter. With masks pressed up against noses, sticky bodies huddling close to each other, Jongdae clung to his mother’s jacket as his older brother helped hand out food. But it wasn’t long before the virus started to take over the bunker, dissolving it into a feeding ground for hungry monsters. It was near impossible to escape. People were being torn apart to pieces by half formed Creepers, and the entire place became a killbox for the zombies.

Jongdae managed to escape along with a handful of other people, but his family weren’t so lucky. He split off from the others immediately, heading away from the cities and into the wild. He understood the consequences of staying in a pack, especially a pack of non immunes. 

He had seen the horrors of X13 before, he was in no rush to relive the experience.

\----

“Dae?” 

Jongdae is shaken out of his thoughts by Baekhyun’s concerned voice. “Everything alright?” Baekhyun says kindly, his hand moving the hair away from Jongdae’s eyes. Jongdae nods and offers Baekhyun a reassuring smile.

“I’m good,” he responds, “But we should get moving if we want to reach town by noon.” Baekhyun nods in agreement and the two pick up their packs. Jongdae interlocks his fingers with Baekhyun’s with easy grace, his other hand gripping his machete. The couple begin to trek through the forest, careful to listen for any unusual noises. The sound of birds chirping gradually intensifies and Baekhyun feels safe enough to make small talk with Jongdae.

“You know what we need?” Baekhyun says once the two stop for a break. “A pack.”

Jongdae groans and lets his head fall against Baekhyun’s shoulder. Baekhyun senses his reluctance and presses on. “Seriously Dae, a pack would help so much. Being able to take breaks without worrying about Creepers, having a support system, stuff like that.”

“Baek,” Jongdae’s voice is exasperated, as if he’s tired of saying the same thing over and over again. “I already told you; packs are dangerous. Especially packs without Chosens, they’re just begging to be eaten.” 

“Then we’ll find a pack with all Chosen, there has to be at least a couple of those,” Baekhyun says stubbornly. Jongdae tugs on Baekhyun’s shirt silently to guide him through the forest. They’ve been to this particular town numerous times now, so Jongdae knows the path like the back of his hand. “I mean, let’s be realistic, at this point, I think most of the people alive are Chosen.” 

“Or they’re just Bloodbags with stupidly good luck,” Jongdae retorts. A rustle has both of them snapping their heads towards the sound, hands poised on their weapons. But they relax a second later when they see a pair of robins emerge from the trees, chirping happily at each other.

“Hey, we were once people with stupidly good luck,” Baekhyun says, lightly nudging Jongdae. “That is, until we found each other. Packs always work out for people.”

“It didn’t work out for me,” Jongdae says quietly. Baekhyun pauses, his face morphing into a worried expression. Jongdae notices the look and shakes his head. “Let’s not talk about this now.” Jongdae puts a smile on his face and loops his hand around Baekhyun’s. “Let’s just focus on getting to town.” Baekhyun remains a bit uneasy at Jongdae’s attitude but a playful nudge from Jongdae has him smiling back at his boyfriend.

The walk to the abandoned town is relatively peaceful, with only a few flocks of birds here and there. Jongdae and Baekhyun attempt to stay alert at their surroundings, but the clear, cool morning has their spirits high and their smiles bright. Baekhyun entertains Jongdae with a detailed story of how he went scavenging while Jongdae was sleeping. Baekhyun was following a blue bird through the forest when he stumbled upon an old farm. Although the farmhouse was wearing down and there was no sign of life, the field was still growing, albeit without much regulation. 

“But you did check for any rad, right?” Jongdae asks, his mind thinking about what types of poisons the field could have endured. Baekhyun clicks his tongue and pokes a long finger at Jongdae’s cheek.

“Of course I did, sweetie,” Baekhyun says with an easy grin that does much to relax the tension out of Jongdae’s shoulders. “When we get to town, we can get a shit ton more food and live like kings!” 

“Then let’s focus on getting to town. I swear you’re going to attract a whole posse of Creepers with your loud voice.”

“Or scare them away,” Baekhyun points out. At Jongdae’s not-so-subtle eye roll, Baekhyun squeezes Jongdae’s hand carefully. Jongdae sighs again, but this time his gaze towards Baekhyun is with a certain fondness. 

When the couple sees the abundance of trees around them start to dissipate, their senses are put on high alert. It’s common for Creepers to be waiting at the edges of cities, hungry for any unsuspecting and careless victims. But they were lucky that day, because there’s nothing but birds and insects scattering through the debris. 

Jongdae knows this routine all too often: they find a large supermarket or shopping complex, scout out their location for any other life, and then scavenge for anything remotely useful to their journey. Containers, tools, clothes, and on rare occasions, food. 

Baekhyun double checked their supplies before they left, and all they need at the moment is new containers and oils. Nothing too difficult.

Luckily, they find a store that seems to suit all their needs. It’s a fading supermarket, the paint on the building chipping off and the neon sign broken. Glass litters the front of the building, and the doors are swinging on broken hinges. But inside, there seems to be an abundance of scattered items, waiting to be dug through.

Baekhyun stands guard at the front, as Jongdae peeks in. The sunlight allows him to see the store quite clearly, so he is relieved when he doesn’t see any sign of Creeper or human around.

“Let’s do this quickly,” Jongdae tells Baekhyun as they push open the doors. “I want to get out of here soon.”

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Baekhyun says, already squatting beside a fallen shelf rack and haphazardly picking up a broken bottle with two fingers. “We’ll be out of here before you know it.” 

Scavenging is always hard and potentially dangerous work. Jongdae and Baekhyun both have a set of scrappy work gloves to handle any sharp items. Better safe than risk a scratch and blood. It can be tiring, bending down and sort through so much trash. So they have an unconscious agreement to split up the work and get through the tasks as fast as possible. More often than not, there’s nothing and they leave with wasted hours and strained eyes. 

But when those rare occasions arrive that they find a treasure, it makes the moment much more worth it.

Jongdae is deciding whether it is safe enough to pick up the curious green, and squishy, object in front of him when Baekhyun bounds over to him in excitement.

“Look what I found!” Baekhyun crows, clearly expecting some sort of praise from the other. In his hands, he has a small spool of thin, but strong looking, wire. Perfect for traps and fishing.

Jongdae’s eyes light up when he sees the tool. Now that it seems the animals are recovering, it would be a great time to go fishing or hunt some sort of bigger animal. 

“Good job,” Jongdae praises him wholeheartedly, dropping a kiss on Baekhyun’s cheek. “And look what I have.” Jongdae pulls out from his pack an unassuming white cylinder, but inside, is something that they sorely need.

“Is that, air freshener?” Baekhyun asks, taking the object and turning it around in examination.

“Yup, I figure we can crack it up and give it a go. Anything strong enough will do.”

Baekhyun grins and tucks it away carefully in his bag. “That’s my smart boyfriend,” he coos, rubbing tiny circles onto Jongdae’s palm. Jongdae feels a bubble of affection burst inside of him at the gesture. Baekhyun has never forgotten how to make him feel so loved.

“Do you think you’re almost done?” Jongdae questions, finally deciding to get it over with as he picks up the glob very quickly and tosses it to the side. Underneath is just another disappointment, and Jongdae sighs as he straightens up.

“Not yet,” Baekhyun responds, “I have one more aisle to go through, and I think it’s the medical one judging by the debris.” 

Jongdae hums in acknowledgement as he makes his way to the next pile of junk. “I’ll finish up here and come over to help.” 

Baekhyun gives Jongdae a squeeze of the hand before smiling and heading back to his little area. Jongdae cleared through his last pile easily, as there’s nothing but moldy food wrappers and plastic covers. There was a sealed box that looked promising, but when Jongdae picks it up, he lets out a huff when he sees it’s just a box of toys. Entertaining, but rather useless when one is running against zombies. 

When Jongdae meanders his way over to Baekhyun, he peeks around the fallen debris and trash for anything worth of interest. After nothing strikes his fancy, he peeks over Baekhyun’s shoulder to see what he’s doing.

“Find anything yet?” Jongdae asks, leaning casually on Baekhyun with his chin tucked over Baekhyun’s broad shoulder. He sometimes hates the fact that Baekhyun has a centimeter or two of height compared to him just for the very reason that Jongdae can’t comfortably rest on his shoulder. But on the other hand, it also makes for some very comfortable and warm hugs. 

It takes Baekhyun a moment to respond, too engrossed in his work. “Some gauze and bandaids,” Baekhyun says, pointing the items out. They’re in a neat pile beside him, ready to be packed. Jongdae smiles, pleased with the find, before he squats down beside Baekhyun and starts to sift through the items. They work in silence, broken only by small quips here and there. 

Jongdae manages to discover a few more useful items, including an unopened can of beans that sends the two into identical grins. He’s attempting to open a plastic box when Baekhyun lets out a loud sound of surprise.

“Oh? What’s this?” 

Jongdae glances over in interest as Baekhyun turns towards him with a triumphant smile. In his hand, is a very familiar looking foil square.

“Is that..” Jongdae trails off, not wanting to take the bait. But Baekhyun’s mischievous twinkle in his eye confirms his suspicions. 

“It’s a condom!” Baekhyun announces, waving around the foil like he found some sort of virus cure. “Finally! It’s been ages since we had sex.” 

“If I recall, we found our last condom just a week ago,” Jongdae deadpans, attempting to maintain some sort of seriousness in the situation. But his heart soars high in chest with Baekhyun’s infectious happiness. 

And while he will never admit it, for fear of his ego, he’s been craving some sort of intimacy other than the usual touches and kisses.

“Sadly, there’s only one,” Baekhyun continues as he shoves the condom safely into his pants pocket. “But it’s ok, I think we both have high enough stamina to make this last.” He says the last sentence with a saucy wink and smirk.

“Are you sure you’re the one who should be saying that?” Jongdae snickers much to the Baekhyun’s indignance. Jongdae ignores his boyfriend’s whines in favor for shoving their scavenged items unceremoniously into his bag. He’ll organize them later, when they are in a safer area. Baekhyun’s little sputters of protests and cheeky remarks continue even as they make their way out of the store and venture into the rest of town. Jongdae humors him for a bit, enjoying the way Baekhyun can get so riled up at the smallest tease.

But as Jongdae is turning around to take another jab, he notices a tuff of black sticking up from behind a rusty car. He halts in his tracks immediately, and Baekhyun follows suit, already noticing the way Jongdae tenses.

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun whispers, hand tightening on his pack. He swerves around and pinpoints where Jongdae is looking with narrowed eyes.

“Weapons out,” Jongdae commands in a low voice, reaching for his machete. His gun is hidden in his back pocket, ready to be pulled at a moment’s notice. Baekhyun notches a feathered arrow onto his bow and pulls back, his muscles taut. Experience has taught the both of them to have their weapons at the ready.

It’s better to be safe than to be eaten.

Jongdae takes slow, quiet steps to the car, his machete raised. Baekhyun creeps to the other side, already familiar with their hunting strategies. He signals at Jongdae to attack on the count of three, and the other agreed with a firm nod of his head.

Baekhyun counts down silent, mouthing the numbers. When he reaches three, Jongdae leaps in front of the car, machete ready to hack and cut, as Baekhyun loosens his fingers, ready to let the arrow fly.

It takes a moment for the gravity of the situation to fall upon them, and Jongdae relaxes a fraction when he realizes what the hair is. 

“A body,” Jongdae sighs, half in relief and half in mourning. 

It’s an old man lying with his back against the car. He’s missing an arm, with blood pooling out of the wound, and half of his face is cruelly torn off. There are various bites along his torso and legs, evidence of a Creeper attack. His remaining eye is wide, as if his last moments were spent in terror.

Baekhyun relaxes his arms as Jongdae sends a silent prayer and apology. He always mourns for those who lost their lives against the Creepers. After all, they’re all on the same side. He surveys the sight with sad eyes and a down turned mouth, as Baekhyun looks around the area.

“Hey,” Baekhyun says softly, tugging on Jongdae’s jacket sleeve. “There’s another.” Jongdae turns to see Baekhyun point out the upper half of a woman, splayed out on the concrete. Her guts are splattered around her corpse, with chunks missing from the organs.

If Jongdae isn’t so accustomed to death, he feels he could have thrown up at the sight.

“What were they doing,” Jongdae thinks out loud, as he kneels down beside the man. “Were they not paying attention when they were attacked?” He shakes his head ruefully when he sees the obvious lack of weapons on the man. They must have been unprepared for a fight. 

But when he presses a hand to the man’s chest in a show of respect, his blood runs cold. 

It’s warm.

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae says. When Baekhyun does not respond, Jongdae repeats his name with an elevating sense of urgency. He scrambles backwards from the body, his hand searching for Baekhyun’s. 

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun asks, tension rising in his body. When Jongdae reaches for his machete, Baekhyun immediately rearms his bow. 

“The bodies,” Jongdae whispers, pressing his back against Baekhyun’s and scanning the area with eagle eyes. “They’re fresh.”

Baekhyun pauses for a fraction of a second, before the realization hits him and he’s cursing lowly under his breath. Bloody, fresh bodies left alone can only mean one thing.

There are Creepers in the area.

Jongdae bites his bottom lip in anticipation, as his hold on the machete’s worn out grip tightens. There’s a low groan from their right to them, and they pivot their heads towards the sound.

When the Creeper’s head pops out from behind another abandoned car, Baekhyun doesn’t hesitate. He lets the arrow fly, straight and true, before it impales itself directly in the Creeper’s head, toppling it backwards. Not a second later, three more Creepers stumble from behind their hiding places.

Already, they’re in a state of blood lust, probably from the previous attack. They’re mouths are dripping white foam, and their hands are still a bright red from fresh blood. It’s two males and a young girl, all three of them gnashing their teeth as they advance towards the two. 

“Fuck,” Jongdae curses, backing up a step. “It’s an ambush.”

“They’re already in blood lust,” Baekhyun observes. He must be judging from the way the Creepers’ pupils are a blown up black, and their fingers flexing menacingly. “We can’t run, otherwise they’ll chase.” 

Jongdae puffs up a cheek, before sighing in exasperation. Baekhyun is right, they have no choice but to fight. He raises his machete, as he says, “I’ll take the right, you take the left?” Baekhyun acknowledges the suggestion with a low hum in the back of his throat, as he carefully takes aim. 

The two know each other so well, that fighting together is practically like instinct. Jongdae doesn’t need to give a warning beforehand, their bodies just move in tandem. As Jongdae rushes forward with a war cry, Baekhyun shoots the arrow straight into the eye socket of the first male zombie. He immediately rearms his bow before sending the arrow into the Creeper’s neck, impaling the decaying flesh easily. The only way to truly kill a Creeper is to aim for the head. 

Meanwhile, Jongdae dodges the other male Creeper’s swinging arm, before slicing through the Creeper’s stomach in one fluid motion. His machete sings as it lets forth a gush of musky smelling black fluid. The Creeper roars in protest, trying to grab at Jongdae’s arm, but he drops to his knees and cuts off one of the zombie’s legs. As soon as the Creeper falls, Jongdae raises his arm, tense and sturdy, and promptly decapitates the monster. 

The female zombie lets out a shriek, before turning upon Jongdae. Her bloody hands are outstretched in front of her, and her teeth are wide open to take a large bite. But she halts in her tracks as a spray of black emerges from her lips, mixing with the foam. She topples forward, a feathered arrow lodged deeply in her back. Jongdae doesn’t hesitate when he stabs his machete through the back of her head. 

Jongdae takes a few steadying breaths, before he straightens up. He pulls his sword out of the zombie’s body with a nasty squelching. He looks over at Baekhyun who seems to be admiring him with a goofy sort of grin.

“What’s that look for?” Jongdae grumbles, pulling a dirty rag out of his pocket. He has zombie blood on his clothes and bits of flesh on his machete. He cleans his weapons with a smooth wipe before dusting off his jacket and pants. Jongdae stiffens when he feels arms wrapping around his waist but relaxes when he feels Baekhyun pressing butterfly kisses on his shoulder.

“I forgot how hot you look when you’re killing zombies,” Baekhyun explains lightly. He taps Jongdae’s nose with a soft bop and a cheeky smile. “I’m so proud of you, saving lives, killing monsters.”

“Doing all the work,” Jongdae points out, but with a fond gaze of his own. Baekhyun pinches his hips at the jab, eliciting a wince from the other.

“Come on,” Baekhyun calls out, hand curling around Jongdae’s smaller one, “We better get out of here, I don’t want to be ambushed again.” Jongdae stumbles behind him, barely able to stuff his cloth back into his pocket before he hastens his pace.

They leave hand in hand, chatting happily among themselves, not taking a single glance backwards.

\----

During the apocalypse, there aren’t exactly many places to find refugee from the Creepers. So when Baekhyun first told him about the so-called “Mountain Salvation”, Jongdae took the rumors with a grain of salt. Sure, he has heard his own share of whispers and explanations of safe communities. Areas where the air is too thin for Creepers or too extreme temperatures for their decaying bodies. 

But Baekhyun persisted until Jongdae had no other option but to agree to head to the nearest mountain range, in hopes of finding their own salvation. After all, it isn’t like they have anywhere else to go.

“We can make a new home!” Baekhyun told him one day, eyes shining brightly. “You and me, together. That’s all I really want.” 

Home. The word feels sweet and hopeful on Jongdae’s tongue. A place where he and Baekhyun can be safe. 

And whenever Jongdae looks over at his boyfriend, moonlight streaming on his face and casting a halo of silver, Jongdae feels love swell up in him like a tidal wave. 

He wants to make a home with Baekhyun too.

They have been traveling for a little over two weeks or so. According to Baekhyun’s map and compass, they should be rather close to the first mountain. Perhaps a few more days worth of travel. But their journey has been consistently hindered by the appearances of other Creepers or humans. 

Such is the case now, when as soon they leave the town in the direction of the mountain, Baekhyun hears voices. He pulls Jongdae to his side and the two hide behind a clump of broken rubble. 

At first, it seemed rather counterproductive to hide from one’s own species. But with the virus in the air, there is no telling when someone could turn, or betray the others in their pack. 

The couple waits until the humans are gone, a pack of five, before stealthily making their escape. “Do you think they were Chosen or Bloodbags?” Baekhyun wonders, glancing behind him at the abandoned town.

“Doesn’t really matter,” comes Jongdae’s nonchalant answer. “They’re gone now.” 

“It seems like they had a pretty good pack going on.” Baekhyun’s comment seems innocent, but Jongdae knows him well enough to infer where the conversation is heading. 

“Stop,” Jongdae says, scrutinizing his boyfriend. “I already know what you want to say.”

To Baekhyun’s credit, the other doesn't seem undeterred by Jongdae’s relectuance, “But Dae,” Baekhyun implores him, “I just think we should really give it a try.”

“And what if that try costs us our lives?” Jongdae finally snaps, his heart heavy from Baekhyun’s pestering. Baekhyun clamps his mouth shut, sensing the underlying hurt in Jongdae’s retort. Jongdae stops walking, and looks up at the sky. “I just couldn’t bear it, if one of us got hurt because we decided to join a pack,” Jongdae says quietly.

Baekhyun pulls Jongdae into a tight hug, tucking the other’s head underneath his chin. “We aren’t going to die, not as long as we have each other,” Baekhyun soothes him, rubbing calming circles on his back. 

“And what makes you so sure?” Jongdae’s voice comes out muffled and timid.

“Because I trust you, and I would do absolutely anything to protect you.”

Baekhyun’s candid response has Jongdae peeking up at his lover’s confident face. When Baekhyun smiles at him, Jongdae ducks back under and mumbles a hasty “You’re so cheesy”.

“Do you trust me?” Baekhyun questions, pinching the small of Jongdae’s back.

“Always,” Jongdae responds without a hint of hesitation or fear. 

“Then trust me when I say that I won’t let either of us die.” 

Jongdae stays quiet, picking aimlessly at a thread on his sleeve. Baekhyun continues to rub circles, as he patiently waits for the other’s response. 

“Fine,” Jongdae finally grumbles. He pokes a finger lightly at Baekhyun’s chest. “We can give it a try.”

Baekhyun lets out a little jubilant call, and hugs Jongdae even tighter. “We’ll find a pack that both of us will like, I swear,” Baekhyun promises, sincerity laced in every word.

“All Chosen?”

“Of course, wouldn’t dream of choosing anything else.” 

Jongdae smiles, satisfied with Baekhyun’s answers, and pulls away. “We better get a move on. It’s going to be night soon.” Baekhyun nods and loosens his arms. They continue on their way, with Baekhyun’s heart considerably lighter, but Jongdae’s mind heavy with doubt.

He still remembers the very first pack he ever joined, and he can’t help but pray that he will never have to relive the experience.

\----

They decide to set camp in a clearing surrounded by low shrubs and bushes. Baekhyun sets out with his new spindle of wire to set traps for Creepers and prey alike, while Jongdae works on building the fire. He has a nice flame crackling merrily by the time Baekhyun returns. 

“What’s for dinner today, chef?” Baekhyun jokes, settling down beside Jongdae and bumping his shoulder.

Jongdae juts his lips out in an imitation of a chef he once saw on television, and deepens his voice. “Ah, today we have the most exquisite,”Jongdae starts, reaching a hand into his bag and pausing for dramatics. Baekhyun leans forward, playing along with his antics. “Beans!” Jongdae proclaims, waving the silver can in front of Baekhyn’s noise.

“Finally,” Baekhyun complains as Jongdae cracks open the tin and pours him a cup of water from one of their containers. “I’m starving.” 

“You ate a whole sandwich at noon,” Jongdae points out. He warms his hands briefly in front of the fire, before rummaging through their set of bowls and utensils. “You even ate mine.”

“What can I say?” Baekhyun’s eyes follow Jongdae’s movements hungrily as Jongdae scoops spoonfuls of beans into his bowl. Baekhyun thanks him briefly, before unceremoniously shoving the food inside his mouth. He swallows, beating his chest to clear his throat, and grins. “I just have a high metabolism.” 

All around them, the sky darkens as the sun dips below the horizon and the stars start to emerge from their hiding places. With night comes colder temperatures, so the couple press together for warmth, closer to the fire. Baekhyun wraps a rather worn blanket from his pack around Jongdae’s shoulders, leaning the other against his chest. 

“How far do you think we are from the mountains?” Jongdae wonders, after the two of them have finished most of their meal. Once Jongdae licks the last trace of sauce from his spoon, Baekhyun finds the pouch of berries he collected from the forest, and passes them over.

Baekhyun hums thoughtfully, lifting up his eyes to the sky. Jongdae pauses in his eating to admire the way the starlight reflects perfectly off Baekhyun’s features. “Can’t say for sure,” Baekhyun decides, “But it shouldn’t be more than half a week, maybe only a couple days.” 

“Then hopefully we’ll get there soon, before we need to scavage for any more supplies.”

“We should have enough,” Baekhyun muses, his teeth biting his bottom lip. “Especially since we know we can forage from the forest now.” 

“As long as there isn’t any rad,” Jongdae responds, pointing his spoon at Baekhyun’s nose. “I don’t want to be eating berries only to get sick. You’re sure that your device is still working, right?”

The device in question is a little silver monitor that Baekhyun had long before he escaped into the forest. Everyone bought one as soon as they heard about the nuclear fallout. It’s a monitor, capable of detecting harmful levels of radiation in the environment. Jongdae had one before, but lost his shortly after he escaped from the bunker. 

“Yup, I doubled checked it while we were in the store. Everything seems to be working just fine.” 

Jongdae lets his head fall back on Baekhyun’s chest, relishing the feeling of tranquility around them. It’s rare for them to have such quiet moments, especially with the chaos all around. He lazily feeds Baekhyun a few purple berries, smiling placidly when Baekhyun flashes him a grateful smile. Jongdae is about to toss one, high in the air, for the other to catch when he hears the faintest rustle from his left. 

They’re standing in an instant, weapons drawn towards the sound. Jongdae strains his ears for any familiar noises of clicking teeth or low moans, but there is nothing. 

Another rustle, and Baekhyun tenses his arms, ready to shoot his bow. Jongdae picks up a particularly heavy stone next to him, and pauses for a moment. Baekhyun nods once, and Jongdae chucks it at the bushes, hoping to draw out whatever caused the sound. It works, judging by the increased rustling. Jongdae draws in a sharp breath, eyes narrowed as he sees a black shape emerge from the bushes. He coils like a hunter, ready to strike, until he sees the black fur and upturned ears, and he realizes-

“A dog?” Baekhyun says incredulously, letting his bow drop to his side in surprise. “What’s a dog doing out here?” 

The dog is rather big, his ears reaching Jongdae’s waist. It’s covered in black fur, with patches of light brown on its legs and upper torso. Its ears stand tall and ready, and it has caramel brown that gaze at the humans curiously. It seems to be panting tiredly, and its fur is littered with leaves and dirt. 

“Aw, he’s so cute!” Baekhyun exclaims, dropping to his knees. He opens his arms up to the pet, making cooing noises and coaxing it to come closer. 

“Um, Baek..” Jongdae hesitates, wary of this mysterious dog. But it’s too late when the dog takes a few tentative steps, and then effectively jumps into Baekhyun’s arms, licking kisses all over his face. 

“What a good boy,” Baekhyun coos, rubbing the dog’s head affectionately. The dog practically preens with the attention, before giving Jongdae a look as if it’s saying “Why aren’t you petting me too?” Jongdae huffs but lightly scratches behind the dog’s ears.

“I think it’s a German Shepherd,” Jongdae comments, taking in the dog’s majestic appearance. “I’ve seen a couple of them before.”

“Does he have a name?” Baekhyun wonders, his hands curl around the dog’s neck, and finds a tiny metal collar. “Vivi,” Baekhyun enunciates the name slowly, before ruffling the dog’s fur. “How did you stay alive out here, Vivi?” Baekhyun says in a baby voice.

“Shepherds are really smart and strong,” Jongdae points out. As if to emphasize his words, Vivi paws at Baekhyun’s thigh. “If there’s any breed that would survive a Surge, I would have bet on this one.”

Vivi straightens up and tossing his ears back with a swish of his head. “Aw, he understands you!” Baekhyun exclaims. He turns to Jongdae and tentatively bites his lips before morphing his expression into the biggest set of puppy eyes Jongdae has ever seen. “Can we keep him?”

Jongdae backs up hurriedly but he’s unable to tear his eyes from Baekhyun’s pleading expression. Baekhyun always knows that Jongdae is weak for his adorable expressions. “I don’t think we can,” Jongdae protests, but his voice is weak and he’s squirming underneath Baekhyun’s gaze.

“Please?” Baekhyun begs, his hands clasping together. To make Jongdae’s internal conflict worse, even Vivi bows his head down and looks up at Jongdae. The dog has only met them for a few minutes, but is already attached to Baekhyun.

Jongdae frowns in contemplation. While he doesn’t want the responsibility of another life, it’s true that having a dog, especially one as smart as a German Shepherd, would be a huge advantage. And considering Vivi has made it out alive so far, Jongdae has to conclude that the dog is clearly intelligent and fierce. 

And looking at Baekhyun’s wide, pleading eyes just pushes Jongdae over the edge.

“Fine, we’ll take Vivi with us,” Jongdae acquiesces, much to the joy of Baekhyun and Vivi. Baekhyun lets out a loud whoop, hugging Vivi tightly before bounding up and kissing Jongdae deeply. Jongdae reprociates the movement, his heart swelling with how happy Baekhyun is. It’s rare that he can see such a bright smile, unhindered by burdens, on Baekhyun’s face. Vivi jumps up on Jongdae, knocking him down, before licking his face with his sandpapery tongue.

“Down, dog,” Jongdae commands sternly but with a smile on his face. “You better be trained.” As if affronted by Jongdae’s words, Vivi pulls away and sits on his haunches, looking up at the human with an expression of innocence. 

“I’ll give him some water and beans,” Baekhyun says cheerfully, heading back to his pack and whistling for Vivi to come over. Vivi trottes over and accepts the food with a few grateful licks. 

Jongdae sits back up, leaning himself on his elbows, and watches them with an amused smile. Already, it seems like he’s made a good decision. 

There isn’t much to do after dinner other than discuss the next day’s plans and pack their bags. They already have a consensus to continue traveling to the mountain, and packing takes a short time, so Baekhyun is free to play with Vivi as Jongdae rests by the fire. It seems Vivi knows certain tricks, so Baekhyun takes his time discovering what skills the dog has, and trying to teach him a few new ones. Jongdae doesn’t know how Baekhyun mustered the energy after the day’s events: Jongdae can positively feel himself fading in and out of unconsciousness. Perhaps he should rest, after all, they have a full day of traveling ahead of him.

He leans down on the grass, trusting Baekhyun to care for himself, and lets his mind enter dreamland. 

\----

Nightmares are nothing unusual. Ever since the start of the Surge, a majority of Jongdae’s dreams have been some sort of horror film. Death. Bleeding. Failure. Loss. 

Every nightmare feels like a way for Jongdae’s brain to relive the horrific events he has endured. 

Tonight, it seems, Jongdae’s brain decides to recall the locked away memories of Dowoon.

Jongdae isn’t proud of it, but in the time between his flee from town and the encounter with Baekhyun, Jongdae had a single boyfriend. It’s true that he was technically in a relationship with Baekhyun still, but in the desperation of the Surge, Jongdae wasn’t even sure if Baekhyun was  _ alive _ , much less if he could see him again.

So when Jongdae met Baekhyun again back so long ago, where they both decide to scavenge at the same store, Jongdae was hit with this boulder of immense guilt and sorrow. He poured out his heart to Baekhyun, letting all those emotions flow freely. Baekhyun had easily forgiven him, but Jongdae still carries the memories like a arrow in his heart.

It was after he had fled from the bunker, and Jongdae had joined his first, and only, pack. At the time, he didn’t know, nor particularly care, if the people were Bloodbags or Chosens. All he knew was that he couldn’t be alone, not with grief and loss still weighing upon him.

He stayed with that pack for a while, building a family and a home with the rest of them. It was peaceful, and Jongdae felt a love in his heart for the members. 

Dowoon was a timid, but optimistic friend. Similar to Baekhyun, but different in so many ways. Perhaps that’s why, when Dowoon first confessed his feelings, Jongdae had accepted. His heart was conflicted; one part of him screamed for Baekhyun, and the lack of honesty, but the other side was so caught up in the overwhelming loss of love and affection that Dowoon was just perfect.

It was a happy, curious week. Jongdae enjoyed the affections Dowoon gave him, and did his best to reciprocate them. It was inevitable that Jongdae began to grow serious emotional attachments to him. 

It was also inevitable that tragedy would strike yet again. 

It was supposed to be a simple supply run. Nothing they hadn’t done before. Jongdae was one of the runners, someone who was to go on ahead first to scout the area and report back to the rest of the pack. 

He completed his job in his usual quick and efficient fashion. He made a slight detour to check out a store to see if there were any rare goods such as dried fruit or canned soup. But nothing that took too long.

As he was running back, new machetes strapped to his back. Jongdae couldn’t help but feel a shiver of apprehension. As if something evil and menacing was hanging in the air. But he shook off the feeling, playing it off to his senses still be wired.. 

Surely, nothing would happen to the pack, he thought, not when they were all together.

Jongdae continued to run, following the paths that he had carved out in his mind. He was approaching the first bend, where according to plan, the first couple of messengers and hunters should be waiting. But when Jongdae called the pack’s signature bird whistle, he was met with an eerie silence. He waited for a few more moments, clearly puzzled, and when he called again, his puzzlement changed to fear. 

He unstrapped the machetes from his back and crept forward in his stalking stance. He moved smoothly, low and fast to the ground to avoid attracting attention. Jongdae took a few light steps forward, until he heard a noise that made his blood run cold and his hands grow numb.

Growling. Snarling. 

Jongdae quickly back pressed himself against a tree, hidden in the shadows, as three bloodied Creepers emerged from the foliage. They were clearly in blood lust, with their outstretched hands and bared fangs. Blood coated their front, and bits of clothing and flesh hung off their fingernails and teeth. They grumbled and rasped at each other, heading off in the opposite direction of the pack, back to town. Jongdae waited until he was sure they were gone and crept forward. He didn’t dare look towards the area, in fear of what he would find.

But at that moment he knew that the charged energy in the air was not a figment of his imagination. 

Fear rushed through his body at the thought of what happened to the other pack members, after all, the bend was suppose to be the first line of defense and warning. Without a second thought, Jongdae sprinted toward the forest, dodging branches and bushes in his rush to get to where he knew Dowoon would be stationed. Once, he nearly ran into a blood lusted Creeper but the monster was so fixated on the smell of blood that it barely paid attention to Jongdae as he dove into a clump of bushes. 

He broke through the line of trees like an enraged bull, Dowoon’s name stuck in his throat. But when he finally made it to the clearing where Dowoon and two others would be waiting, Jongdae halted in his steps. 

A group of Creepers surrounded something in the clearing. They were tearing at it, clawing and chewing with wide open jaws, not caring if pieces fell out. They would push at each other to get closer to the mound, their eyes wide and black. Out of the chaos, something flew high up and into the air, landing a little outside the group. 

It was half a head. Dowoon’s head. 

A Creeper tore away from the group and scooped up the bloody remnant of Jongdae’s boyfriend, and unceremoniously popped it into her mouth with a satisfied grin. 

Jongdae fell to his knees, the machetes dropping to the ground, as he reeled in shock. He could still remember the sorrow and grief he felt at the sight. There wasn’t a bit of rage in him, just resignation. Dowoon was dead. He was gone, but like everyone else that Jongdae knew and loved.

Once more, he was all alone. 

\-----

Jongdae wakes up to a rough tongue licking his cheek, and a soft hand running through his locks. He opens his eyes to see both Baekhyun and Vivi looking down at him. Baekhyun’s eyes are wide with worry, while Vivi continues to lick his face. 

“Are you alright?” Baekhyun asks cautiously, his hand still combing through Jongdae’s messy hair. “You were twitching and calling out in your sleep.” 

Jongdae pushes himself up in a sitting position, slightly wincing as he leans forward. “Just a bad dream,” Jongdae mumbled, rubbing dog saliva from his face and patting Vivi with his other hand. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Baekhyun scoots closer to Jongdae and wraps an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. Jongdae feels his body relax at the familiar position. 

“It was just,” Jongdae hesitates but Baekhyun’s welcoming smile presses him forward, “It was about the first pack, and everything that happened.” 

Baekhyun nods in understanding, humming low in his throat. “You scared of joining another pack, aren't you? You think the same events will happen twice.” 

Jongdae bites his lips and gives an odd jerk of his head as confirmation. Baekhyun sighs, almost fondly, before kissing Jongdae’s temple. “Things were different back then,” Baekhyun consoles him, “Everyone wasn’t used to the Surge, but now we’re better than we were before.” 

“I know but…” Jongdae trails off as Baekhyun lifts his chin up with a gentle finger. 

“Hey, we’ll be ok. Trust me, remember?”

Baekhyun’s answer is so sincere, so optimistic that Jongdae can’t help but feel reassured by his attitude. He relaxes into Baekhyun, like melting in the other’s body, and sighs. Baekhyun smiles contendly, before pulling Jongdae up to climb the nearest tree.

They fall asleep, limbs tangled with each other and foreheads pressed together, resting comfortably on an outcrop of leaves and trunk. Vivi curls up beside the base of the tree, hidden by foliage, as the fire flickers beneath the night sky.

Jongdae has no nightmare that night.

\----

The sun next morning rises on the couple hastily eating a small breakfast, with Vivi chomping down on a piece of beef jerky that Baekhyun procured from his pack. Jongdae doesn’t even want to ask where he found it from; he learned not to question whatever Baekhyun does ages ago.

“I want to travel as much as we can,” Jongdae decides, wiping his mouth to clean any crumbs. “Especially with Vivi, we should be able to cover a lot of ground.” At the mention of his name, Vivi perks up, licking his lips. 

“Is Vivi our guard dog now?” Baekhyun asks, languidly scratching Vivi behind the ears. “But I agree, maybe we can make it to the base of the mountain within two days.” 

“Then let’s hurry.” Jongdae stands up and offers a hand to Baekhyun who takes it without hesitation. They pull on their packs, as Jongdae kicks dirt over the smoldering embers of their fire. Vivi shakes his body out and paddles over to them, clearly eager to get moving. After briefly checking Baekhyun’s compass and map, they set off.

True to their words, they rarely stop for any breaks as they make their way through the dense forest. They pause for a few minutes to consume a few bites of dried fruit and a protein bar, but immediately continue on their way. Vivi keeps pace with them the entire time, occasionally bounding forward in great strides but always returning.

Vivi proves his intelligence and worth several times throughout the journey. Usually, when Jongdae and Baekhyun were traveling alone, they would have to keep quiet in order to listen for any unfamiliar noises. Creepers. Wild animals. And humans. Whenever they would hear something that sounds remotely alarming, they would either climb the nearest tree and hide in a clump of shrubs. True, it is tiresome and often meaningless. But Jongdae and Baekhyun agreed a while ago that they much rather hide than be forced to fight a pack of Creepers. 

But with Vivi at their side, Jongdae and Baekhyun are a little more relaxed as they walk together. If there are any strange smells or sounds, Vivi’s ears would perk up, and he would lowly growl. The first few times, Jongdae and Baekhyun didn’t realize that Vivi was alerting them until an armless Creeper stumbled in front of them, snarling once before Baekhyun shot it down. Since then, they’ve been paying attention to the way Vivi walks and his reactions. 

Once, they come across a pile of bones, striking white and stripped of any flesh. There’s a pungent smell that indicates a Creeper attack. Jongdae allows himself to mourn only for a few seconds, before he’s grabbing Baekhyun’s arm and pulling him away. Vivi hesitates, the dog’s eyes fixated as if he’s wishing to grab one of the bones for himself, but a stern word from Baekhyun has him pulling away. 

Overall, the day passes without any major incidents. Jongdae is pleased when he looks up to the horizon, and the range of mountains look even closer than ever. He squeezes Baekhyun’s hand once, and the other responds with a fond glaze.

The sun is starting to dip beneath the horizon line as Baekhyun tells Jongdae that they ought to find some place to rest. They’re searching for a good clump of trees when the forest line suddenly breaks, and Baekhyun nearly tumbles on to the bank of a river. 

It’s a fast flowing one, with little waves of water lapping up on the shore as the water jumps and splashes. To anyone else, the running water may have been a welcoming sight. But Baekhyun goes frozen at the sight, not even responding when Jongdae calls out his name. Jongdae emerges from the forest and feels his face grow pale at the sight. Vivi can only stand, head tilted with confusion, as Jongdae tightens his arms around Baekhyun’s waist and pulls him away.

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun stutters out, his breaths coming out short and shallow. Jongdae lies him down on the ground, back against a tree and head facing away from the river. 

“Hey, it’s ok,” Jongdae reassures Baekhyun, hands running over Baekhyun’s face and arms in an effort to warm Baekhyun’s body. Baekhyun’s hands tremble as they reach over and clasp over his head. His body begins to shake as Jongdae wraps him into a tight hug.

“I’m right here,” Jongdae whispers incessantly, rocking Baekhyun back and forth in his arms. Vivi whines quietly as he noses at Baekhyun, his eyes wide and puzzled. Baekhyun lets out a shuddering breath and presses himself closer to Jongdae, his head hanging low. 

“Vivi, can you go stand guard?” Jongdae asks quietly. To his credit, Vivi backs away and sits a little distance away from them, looking at them huddling underneath the tree. “You’re safe, Baekhyun,” Jongdae says as he turns back to him. Baekhyun doesn’t respond, only continuing to clench onto Jongdae as if he is a lifeline. Jongdae loses track of how long they stay in this position, Baekhyun huddled inside Jongdae’s arms, great breaths escaping his lips. The sun falls out of sight as night creeps upon them. But Jongdae doesn’t relent, continuing to whisper small condolences and rub comforting circles on Baekhyun’s back.

Baekhyun exhales one last gasp accompanied by a small whisper of “Jongdae”, before he slumps against Jongdae’s body. Jongdae lies him down, letting Baekhyun’s head rest on his pack, before Jongdae tiredly shifts to sit beside him. Baekhyun’s breathing returns to his normal, slow pace and his face starts to regain some of its color. Only then, does Vivi walk over, head low and tail drooping. Jongdae pats the grass beside him and Vivi lies down, head resting on Jongdae’s lap.

“You must be confused,” Jongdae remarks towards Vivi. The dog doesn’t respond, obviously, but the way that Vivi peers at him makes Jongdae feel like the dog is having a conversation with him.

“Baekhyun has anxiety whenever he sees rivers,” Jongdae informs Vivi quietly, as not to disturb his sleeping boyfriend. “I have to calm him down otherwise he stays like this for an entire day.” Vivi continues to look up at him with wide eyes. Jongdae doesn’t know what compels him to keep talking, but he continues to explain. “That’s why I always collect the water.”

Vivi raises his neck and tilts his head cutely to the side.

“Why does Baekhyun react that way?”

Vivi flicks an ear and Jongdae smiles tiredly, his chest feeling warm and his heart pinching. 

“Well, this is what he told me….”

——

Baekhyun, unlike Jongdae, didn’t have the opportunity to flee to one of the numerous Surge bunkers. There was just no chance, not with the amount of chaos flowing through the country and sending everyone into a mass panic. Baekhyun was just grateful that he was able to find his family in the midst of the Surge. He wasn’t able to properly say good-bye to his friends, or his cousins, or even Jongdae, before it was too late.

The Surge had entered the country. 

The Creepers came for the cities first, for after all, they were the most densely populated areas with plenty of prey for their insatiable hunger. One by one, areas collapsed under the terror of the zombies, with people dying by the thousands every day. There was always a period in the beginning where the Bloodbags, or non-immunes, and frail die first. It was like a trend, a scary cycle that could be easily predicted with every Surge. After the first period, or the Kill Day, as dubbed by the media, deaths began to level off and rise slowly. Creepers swarmed the country, but it was harder to find prey with such a low population of Chosens or lucky people.

Baekhyun, when the Creepers entered the area where his hometown was, only had time to grab the pack that had been waiting by his bedroom door for ages, and bolt out of the house with the rest of his family. He remembered grabbing on to his older brother’s hand for safety as they fled through the streets along with dozens of others. His mother and father were following them closely behind as they ran past deserted homes and followed the crowds.

Baekhyun didn’t know where they were heading for, it seemed like there was no escape from the Creepers. But earlier, before the Surge, he heard rumors of salvation in the mountains. Where the air is too thin for Creepers and where some people had planes to fly them far away from the devastated lands to somewhere remote and safe.

Baekhyun held on to that rumor like a beacon of hope, as he sprinted. 

He could barely see above the crowds so when he turned to look over at Baekbeom, his brother, whose face was flushed with sweat, Baekhyun bumped into the person ahead of him. The crowd had stopped running, no, they were walking now. Baekhyun looked around and he could see people’s strained eyes and tight lips. The crowd was walking with a tension in their stride. It seemed that someone at the head was directing traffic flow to make the evacuation easier. That implication must have spread to everyone else, because the panic in the air was slowly alleviating. 

Baekhyun even risked a small, hopeful smile that his brother returned. Maybe they were in luck, the Creepers hasn’t breached the town yet. They continued to walk, hurriedly but calmly, away from their homes.

It wasn’t until Baekhyun managed to reach where the slow down first occurred that he saw what was going on. There were several police officers and military, looking solemn in their uniforms, as they directed people along to various routes. One was to the sea, another to the forest, and others going elsewhere. But safe places, that’s what mattered. 

It was a shame that the illusion could only last for so long.

There was a roar and a chorus of yells behind the crowds, and immediately people began to panic and press forward. It was a suffocating movement, with everyone desperate to get away from the approaching horde of Creepers. 

A yell, and a sound of a slash. And the smell of blood filled the air.

The Creepers behind the crowd let out shrieks and ran at the crowd.

The once organized group dissolved into chaos, as people shoved past to flee along one of the routes. The military and police officers shot back at the Creepers, not caring if they shot an innocent in the process. But it was no use; the Creepers were already dead, there’s no pain during a blood lust. 

Baekhyun and his brother dodged through the crowd, their mother and father lost a long time ago. A police officer gestured them to head to the forest route, but there was a snarl and the officer toppled back, crying out in pain as a Creeper tore at his flesh with hunger. Baekhyun shook with fear at the sight, frozen in his spot as he watched the officer be torn to shreds and consumed. The Creeper seemed to be smiling in delight. His brother was also staring in horror, his breaths shallow and shaky. The man’s gun skittered out of his grasp, hitting Baekhyun’s shoes. Baekhyun didn’t think before he snatched it up and grabbed his brother’s hand once more. 

They raced past similar scenes of gore and death; defenseless persons getting ripped to bloody shreds by undead hands and foaming mouths. Baekhyun didn’t know how he and Baekbeom managed to make it to the protection of the forest, but they did, and they didn’t stop running until they could no longer hear the screams and shrieks, and the smell of blood left the air. 

They collapsed on the ground, their backs against a sturdy tree and their sweaty hands still holding onto each other like a lifeline. Baekhyun’s breath came out shaking from exhaustion and pure shock from the run. When the adrenalin began to fade away, Baekhyun became more aware of what a desperate situation they were in.

“Do you-Mom-what happened?” Baekhyun huffed out, barely able to spit out the words. His voice held some sort of clinging hope to them, but when Baekhyun looked up at his brother, Baekbeom had a resigned expression on his face. 

“I don’t think-” Baekbeom choked out. For the first time in years, Baekhyun saw his brother cry. And soon, Baekhyun was crying his own set of tears. His brain couldn’t process it, but his heart knew it was true.

His parents, maybe his friends, maybe everyone he knew, was gone and scattered.

The brothers embraced each other in a tight hug, openly sobbing on each other’s shoulders. Baekhyun felt despair and loss crash into his mind like a tidal wave of emotions. He was consumed by feelings of grief and hopelessness. He didn’t know how he could go on living, with the thought that everyone else was dead. 

They stay in their position for a while, letting out their tears, until Baekbeom wiped his face and pulled away. “Come on,” Baekbeom said. His voice was scratchy and hoarse. “We need to get moving.” Baekhyun nodded wordlessly, not trusting his voice, and wiped his tears on his sleeve. The brothers picked up their packs and grabbed each other’s hands without question. Baekhyun cast one last look behind him, in the direction of his home, before squaring his shoulders and walking away. 

As the days passed, the brothers managed to carve out some sort of living in the forest, with the help of their packs and survival skills. They had enough food and water to last them for a while, until they find the river pointed out on Baekbeom’s map of the area. They rarely encountered other people, or worse, more Creepers. And when they did, they always managed to get away without a confrontation. Baekhyun lived each day in anticipation, and fear. Every night, he would pray to whatever deities there were to thank them for his luck and to protect him and his brother for as long as possible. He honestly tried not to have hope, the feeling had been crushed out of him ever since they fled home, but each passing day seemed to get a little better. Baekhyun started to smile at his brother, and in rare moments, Baekbeom would return the gesture. They had a plan to trek over to the mountains, to see if the rescue plans were legitimate. And every day seemed to be getting a little better.

But Baekhyun had the devastating feeling that one day, their luck would run out.

And it did.

It was at night, right before the sunrise. Most people would prefer to travel during the day, so that it is easier to spot Creepers. But for some unknown reason, Creepers were more sluggish and less likely to go into a blood frenzy at night. So Baekhyun and Baekbeom were gradually making their way to the looming mountains under the cover of night, with the moon at their backs and the wind in their face. During the day, they would climb up some tall tree, and rest for a few hours before continuing.

That night, Baekhyun was in one of the best moods he had been in for a long time. They had just refilled their water containers at a nearby river, and were excited to be on their way. Baekbeom and Baekhyun were reminiscing on their childhood, talking about the memories from growing up together. There was a warm, nostalgic feeling in Baekhyun’s chest, and he felt inexplicably happy to be walking together with his brother. 

He was chuckling at a fond memory that Baekbeom had told, when he looked ahead and saw it. 

A Creeper was staring right at them. 

It was standing right in front of them, mere meters ahead. Baekhyun froze in his tracks, with his brother already grabbing at the pocket knife in his belt. The brothers and the monster stood in a stalemate, eyes locking with each others. Baekhyun had to consciously repress a shudder as he stared at the zombie.

It was a former man, with dirty black hair and torn clothes. It was breathing heavily through its open mouth, and Baekhyun could see bloody teeth and bits of solids that he just knew was flesh. Its hands were caked in dried mud and blood, and it kept flexing its fingers like claws. 

Baekbeom had a strong hand on Baekhyun’s shoulders, squeezing it tightly as he began to move backwards. Baekhyun took the cue, and slowly, they began to back away from the motionless Creeper. They were able to step back a few crucial steps, putting more distance between themselves and the monster. Baekhyun’s heart was in his mouth as he stepped toe and then heel back. Then he felt something crack under his shoe. A single branch.

The crack sounded like a gunshot in the silent forest, and the effect was instantaneous. The Creeper let out a blood curdling shriek, loud enough to raise every single hair on Baekhyun’s arms. There was no time for subtlety as Baekbeom pushed at Baekhyun, screaming at him to run for his life. 

The Creeper charged at them with swinging arms and blown up eyes. Baekhyun managed to get ahead of his brother, so he grabbed Baekbeom’s eye to drag him along. Baekbeom was urging him to run faster, while himself was almost falling behind. Baekhyun was always the faster runner, so he pulled along Baekbeom’s arm in pure desperation. 

But then Baekbeom stumbled over an exposed root, and Baekhyun could only watch in horror as the Creeper jumped upon Baekbeom. He screamed as the Creeper bit into his shoulder, tearing a bloody hole into his flesh. Baekbeom kicked the zombie away, slashing his knife blindly in pain and desperation. Baekhyun was frozen and he felt helpless at the situation. But then he remembered the gun resting into a makeshift holster at his belt. 

Baekhyun grabbed at the weapon with shaking hands, and with a silent prayer, he shot two bullets at the Creeper. A perfect hit. The monster fell back onto the ground, blood pooling out of its wounds and mouth. Baekbeom lied on the ground, shaking and heaving for breath. The wound in his shoulder was dripping blood, and Baekbeom’s face was becoming paler with every second.

Baekhyun had the first aid kit out in seconds, desperately pressing at the wound with gauze. He was moving to find the anti disinfectant before a hand grabbed his wrist. 

“Don’t,” Baekbeom groaned. His body was twitching on the ground with jerky rapid movements. 

“We need to get you bandaged!” Baekhyun protested loudly, attempting to shake off his brother’s grasp. “The blood, it’s going to attract more-”

“Baekhyun.” Baekbeom interrupted Baekhyun’s anxious words with a solemn call of his name. Baekhyun bit his lips, already knowing what his brother was going to say, but his mind denied the reality. 

“I’m not immune,” Baekbeom reminded him, his voice impossibly soft. “It’s too late, I’ll turn into one of them soon.” 

“No, no you won’t,” Baekhyun furiously shook his head. Baekbeom pushed himself up on his good shoulder and Baekhyun watched as his brother slowly stood up. “You-there has to be some way that-”

“There’s no way.” 

Baekhyun’s heart broke into a million fragments at the resigned, helpless look his brother gave him. Baekbeom’s hand clenched at his shoulder, as his eyes scanned the area around them. Baekhyun could only bow his head in grief, his eyes starting to fill with tears. He wanted to break down on the spot, but he had to stay strong and vigilant. It wasn’t safe for them, to be so exposed. 

“The river,” Baekhyun decided, “We’ll wash the blood in there.” He raised his head right as Baekbeom nodded, and began to trudge in the direction they came from. The blood from his wound left a tiny trail on the forest floor, and Baekhyun kept his hand on his gun in fear. As he walked behind Baekbeom, he could see his brother beginning to shake uncontrollably. 

_ What if _ \- Baekhyun thought. He knew the signs of a turning human, everyone did. It starts with shakes, and then uncontrolled tempers. Watery eyes and muscle spasms. And then blood lust, strong enough to make a normal human tear apart at flesh and bone. 

They made it to the river shortly, and Baekbeom stood right at the water’s edge. Baekhyun stopped a little away from him, his hand still tight on his weapon. His heart was beating furiously, and Baekhyun felt trickles of sweat falling down his back. Baekbeom turned around sharply, and Baekhyun felt his blood run cold. 

Blood was pouring down Baekbeom’s arm, but the other didn’t seem to notice as he stared at Baekhyun with beady eyes. His mouth was agape and his free hand was slowly flexing. 

“Baekhyun,” Baekbeom heaved. Baekhyun acknowledged him with a short nod. Baekbeom stared at him for a few seconds, before he broke out into the saddest smile. 

“Kill me.”

“What!” Baekhyun exclaimed, his fear momentarily forgotten as he stared at his brother in shock. “What the fuck? No! I can’t!”

“Please,” Baekbeom said, his hands clasping together in a begging motion. “You know it’s too late for me, just let me die.”

“I’m not going to kill you, my own brother,” Baekhyun firmly asserted. He shook his head in disbelief. He couldn’t do it. It was Baekbeom, his beloved older brother. Baekhyun had already lost everyone else, there was no way he could kill the last person in his life. “I-”

“Do it!”

Baekhyun was shaken by the sudden ferocity in Baekbeom’s yell. Baekbeom must have been surprised too, because he clamped a hand over his mouth. 

Uncontrollable temper.

It was like being doused with the cold water of reality. But Baekhyun still couldn’t bring himself to do it. “Baekbeom,” Baekhyun whispered, staring at him. “I can’t, you’re my brother.”

“And if you are my brother, you would let me die rather than into one of those monsters.” Baekbeom’s biting retort sent an arrow through Baekhyun’s soul. The brothers locked eyes in a battle of will, and Baekhyun saw how determined and desperate Baekbeom was.

He was right. Baekhyun knew it, no matter how much he tried to desillusion himself. Baekbeom was turning, and it was too late. 

Baekhyun raised the gun up in removing hands, and Baekbeom tilted his head in affirmation. 

“I’m so sorry,” Baekhyun finally said. He knew it had to be done. But it didn’t mean that it hurt any less. Everything was crashing around him and Baekhyun felt like he was trapped in the most horrible nightmare.

“It’s ok, Baekhyun,” Baekbeom responded. Baekhyun choked back a sob at the tender way Baekbeom said his name. “It’s for the best. You were always the best brother ever.” 

The best brother. Baekhyun felt like his soul was being burned in the fires of hell, and his entire body was being stabbed over and over again. Baekbeom wanted to die, and he wanted to die by Baekhyun’s own hands.

“I-“ Baekhyun’s finger was on the trigger and practically the gun was trembling as Baekhyun held on to it for dear life. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Baekbeom’s face, as he too in his brother’s sunken cheeks and teary eyes. He didn’t notice how Baekbeom’s body was shaking and how his hands were curled up into fists. 

“Please, Baekhyun,” Baekbeom was practically begging at this point. “It’s ok, just let me go.” 

Baekhyun sucked in a breath, and prepared to shoot as Baekbeom tensed up. The finger was on the trigger, all Baekhyun had to do was pull, and-

_ Would the best brother kill his own sibling?  _

“I can’t do it,” Baekhyun cried out, shaking his head and backing away. “I’m sorry, I can't do it. I can’t kill you, Baekbeom.” 

“You will!” 

Baekhyun’s head snapped up as Baekbeom opened his mouth in a vicious snarl. Baekhyun’s brother was already losing control of himself, and Baekhyun felt a new wave of terror wash over himself.

“Baekbeom…” Baekhyun whispered in fear and caution. Baekbeom fell to the ground, howling in pain and shaking as he clawed at his own flesh. Baekhyun had the gun up again, the barrel pointing at Baekbeom’s bloody figure. 

Baekbeom looked up, and Baekhyun froze. His brother’s eyes were a soulless black, the pupil dilated. Baekbeom launched himself in the air, and Baekhyun closed his eyes tightly as he pulled the trigger.

He fell down, breathing heavily as he stared at the motionless figure at his feet. Baekbeom’s hand was just a mere inches away from his ankle. There was blood streaming all over the floor, and Baekhyun had to act fast. 

His body was numb and his mind was still in shock as he worked on autopilot. Only survival instincts and an overwhelming sense of self preservation gave Baekhyun the strength to push his brother’s body to the shore of the river. Baekbeom lied half into the water as Baekhyun stared down.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun whispered. He shut his brother’s eyes slowly, and with a massive amount of effort and will, shoved Baekbeom’s body into the river. The rushing water immediately overtook the corpse, pushing it along the current with the flow of blood. 

Baekhyun stood at shore, watching the body flow farther and farther away as the sun rose over the horizon. It was a dazzling sight, but Baekhyun felt no warmth sink into his body. Already, he could hear the far away sounds of rushing footsteps and snarls, so Baekhyun grabbed Baekbeom’s discarded pack and hoisted himself up in a tree. 

He managed to nestle himself deep into the branches right as a pack of three Creepers burst through the foliage. They sniffed and snarled at the ground, pulling at bloody pieces of grass to stuff into their mouths. They stared at the river shore too, eyes scanning until one of them grunted impatiently and took off. The other two followed suit, and soon, Baekhyun was alone in the tree.

Baekhyun took the gun with two fingers, and flung it as far as he could into the river. 

Never again, he swore, never again would he use such a weapon.

Baekhyun stripped his dirty jacket off, wrapping it around his head and covering his eyes. And began to sob. 

Baekbeom was gone, and Baekhyun was all alone in the forest. 

——-

By the time Jongdae finishes his story, the moon is nearly at the peak of the sky and Vivi is yawning tiredly. Jongdae rubs at his fur with a fond smile. “You listen really well, you know,” Jongdae says, playing with Vivi’s ears. Vivi gives him a look as if to say “of course I do, I can’t talk.” 

Jongdae carefully pushes Vivi off of him as he stands up. He’s tired, but he needs to make sure Baekhyun is safe. So he wraps his arms underneath Baekhyun’s shoulders, and gently pulls him into an overgrowth of bushes. He clears branches and sticks away to make a cover of leaves before lay Baekhyun’s motionless body. Vivi hovers outside the cave of leaves, before circling around twice and curling into a ball. Jongdae pulls out a blanket from his pack, tucking the edges around Baekhyun’s body, and lies down.

He falls asleep watching the rise and fall of Baekhyun’s chest, his finger tracing a pattern of stars onto Baekhyun’s shoulder. 

He awakes only a few hours later by someone kissing him deeply. Jongdae doesn’t even open his eyes as he runs his fingers through the person’s hair, raising up his head to sink even deeper. When he does open his eyes, he sees Baekhyun smiling at him, the sun flaring out behind his head like a halo. Jongdae is struck by the beauty of the scene and he pulls down Baekhyun for another kiss.

“Good morning, darling,” Baekhyun greets him happily. Jongdae locks his arms around Baekhyun’s neck, pulling himself up so that he’s in a sitting position with his legs around Baekhyun’s waist. Leaves and branches are brushing at their heads but they don’t seem to care.

“How do you feel?” Jongdae asks, pressing his forehead against Baekhyun’s.

“A thousand times better, because of you,” Baekhyun responds before he’s licking lips with Jongdae again. Baekhyun’s tongue prods Jongdae’s mouth until the other parts his lips with a small sigh. Jongdae lets out a broken moan as Baekhyun’s tongue explodes every part of him. Baekhyun grips at Jongdae’s hips, rolling them as he grinds upwards.

Jongdae pulls away with a sharp gasp, saliva connecting his lips to Baekhyun’s. “We can’t, not now,” Jongdae says softly, regret in every word.

“Are you sure, babe?” Baekhyun asks, leaning in so he can brush his lips against Jongdae’s cheek. “You could let me take care of you, in return for caring for me.” 

It takes enormous self restraint on Jongdae’s part to push himself off and step out of the bush. Baekhyun pouts for a moment, his once excited member twitching disappointedly, before he leaves the safety of their nest. Vivi pants happily at the sight of them, and nuzzles Baekhyun’s leg fondly.

“I promise you,” Jongdae offers, lifting his pack on his shoulders. “Once we get to the mountains, I’ll ride you to hell and back, but not now. Ok?”

“Kim Jongdae, that is the one promise you better keep.”

Jongdae smirks before kissing Baekhyun softly on the jaw. “I’ve never lied to you before, haven’t I?” Baekhyun hums once before he’s winking lewdly.

“Then I guess I’ll have to save my energy till then,” Baekhyun says, his tongue swiping out to lick at his lips. Jongdae consciously forces himself to turn away and finish cleaning up their packs lest his resolves breaks.

“Do you think there’s a bridge somewhere?” Jongdae asks, tilting his head towards the river. “It looks like it’s getting narrower down there.” He looks back at Baekhyun who’s staring at him with a trusting smile. 

“I’ll be alright,” Baekhyun reassures him. His fingers against Jongdae’s as Baekhyun squeezes. “Sure, let’s follow it and see where it takes us.”

Jongdae distracts Baekhyun as they’re walking down with light jokes and bites of juicy cherries. Vivi leaps and twists in the air in front of them, chasing a stray butterfly across the bank. There’s a lightness in Jongdae’s heart when he sees the stress seep out of Baekhyun’s shoulders. 

Luckily, the three don’t have to travel too far until they come across an old wooden bridge. Jongdae tentatively steps on it, testing its strength, and although there is a slight creak, it seems relatively stable. Baekhyun closes his eyes as Jongdae guides him onto the bridge, walking slowly to the other side. Vivi is right behind them, nosing at Baekhyun’s knee as if to reassure him that he’s right there. 

Baekhyun opens his eyes as soon as Jongdae whispers that they’re back on land, and he jumps into Jongdae’s arms, pressing feathery kisses all over. 

“You’re the absolute best,” Baekhyun says in between kisses. Jongdae laughs, a sweet and melodic sound, before he’s wrapping his arms back around Baekhyun. But the moment is interrupted when Vivi suddenly barks, his eyes narrowing at the tree line. They break apart to see a lone Creeper emerge from the mass of green, its eyes wide and hands flexing. 

“Are we bleeding anywhere?” Jongdae whispers urgently. Baekhyun and Jongdae check each others bodies while the Creeper stands and stares at them. 

“No, we aren’t,” Baekhyun confirms, “If we go slowly, we should be able to sneak past it.” But that idea is thrown out of the window when two more Creepers emerge. A whole pack of zombies stand in front of the couple, snarling and baring their teeth. Baekhyun looks positively paler with every second, and Jongdae holds his arm to stop him from shaking. 

“Just stay back,” Jongdae commands him, pushing him slightly away. “Vivi and I will handle this.” Baekhyun shakily nods, but he reaches for his bow nevertheless. There’s no way in hell that he’ll let his boyfriend and dog fight without backup. 

Jongdae unsheathes his machetes and stands beside Vivi, who is growling angrily at the zombies. One of the Creepers throws back its head, eyes gleaming maliciously, before it snarls once and launches itself at them. Vivi meets the zombie in midair, moving much faster than the Creeper. The dog tears at the zombie’s flesh, claws and teeth digging deep gashes and spilling blood all around. The other two make a move to attack Vivi, but Jongdae forces them back with a wide sweep of his sword.

He dodges one of their attacks, slicing out one sword in a series of slashes, cutting a deep wound in one of the Creeper’s chests. As the other attempts to jump on him, Jongdae rolls out of the way and kicks the Creeper flat on its back. He brings a machete around to impale it through the back, pinning it down on the ground as it struggles desperately. Jongdae spins back around to see the last Creeper advancing on him so he strikes forward, and with a yell, slices the Creeper from the shoulder to the opposite hip. The zombie falls to the ground, dead within seconds. Jongdae whirls around, ready to defend Vivi, but he sees the last zombie face down on the ground, an arrow sticking out of its neck.

Vivi is back at Baekhyun, who is praising the dog and wrapping a bandage around Vivi’s forepaw. Jongdae is next to them in an instant, pulling out the air freshener they found back at town. He breaks it open and swipes some of the liquid scent all over Vivi’s fur. “Is it seriously?” Jongdae asks worriedly. He finishes disguising Vivi’s blood and swipes residue scent on his arms before cleaning himself up.

“Just a small cut,” Baekhyun informs him, “It shouldn’t attract anything, especially since it’s animal blood.” As if to emphasize his words, Vivi gives Jongdae a slobbering lick on the cheek. 

“Yes, yes, you did amazing, Vivi,” Jongdae sincerely compliments, affectionately petting the dog. 

“You both did amazing,” Baekhyun says, pressing kisses on both of them. Him and Jongdae share a fond look before Baekhyun is standing up and pulling Jongdae with him.

“Let’s get a move on.”

——

The mountain is so close to them. It’s so close that Jongdae feels its looming shadow falling on his face. Gradually, the trees begin to break out, the area becoming less dense. With every step closer, little shivers of excitement shoot up Jongdae’s spine. He knows Baekhyun feels the same way, judging by the way Baekhyun’s smile is filled with anticipation. The air is supercharged with tension and hope. 

“What do you think will be there?” Baekhyun asks Jongdae, his voice barely hiding the eagerness. 

“Maybe a town,” Jongdae muses, “Or a helicopter to fly people far away.” 

“Well whatever is there,” Baekhyun kicks a stone in front of him as he speaks, “It doesn’t matter, because we’re together.” Jongdae cracks a smile at Baekhyun’s comment. 

“Don’t be so cringy.”

“I’m just saying the truth!” Baekhyun clutches at his chest with mock hurt. “Seriously, even if we don’t find a pack, it’ll be ok because we have each other.”

“Maybe there will be a pack also making their way to the mountains,” Jongdae remarks. He shivers as a cool wind blows past them. “Hopefully, only Chosen. I’m in no mood to fight Creepers right now.”

It’s like Jongdae’s very words provoked the universe, because not a second later, Vivi begins to bark incessantly. Jongdae and Baekhyun barely have time to draw their weapons before shadowy figures are coming out from the sparse foliage. 

It’s seven men, all seem to be around the same age as Jongdae and Baekhyun. They are obviously human, judging by the way they all have their own packs and weapons. Some of their faces show fear and surprise, while others show apprehension. Jongdae and Baekhyun tense up, ready to fight if necessary. The tension in the air can be practically be cut with a knife until it’s broken by a single bark.

Vivi lets out a loud bark and launches himself into the arms of one of the humans; a younger looking boy with brown hair. Jongdae stiffens, thinking Vivi is attacking him, but to his surprise, Vivi is licking him happily and waving his tail.

“Vivi!” The boy exclaims, hugging the dog tightly. “You’re alive!” 

“Hold on,” Baekhyun says, lowering down his bow in confusion. “You know Vivi?”

“Of course!” The boy looks up at him with a beaming smile. “He’s my dog! I thought he died when we lost him.” Vivi gives him one last lick before sitting on his haunches, panting happily. 

“We found him near a town,” Jongdae exclaims, relaxing for a fraction of a second. If Vivi trusts them, maybe this pack isn’t dangerous. 

“Who are you guys?” One of the other men ask, but politely. He seems to be the leader of the pack, judging by the way his stance speaks of authority. “Are you two also Chosen?”

“Yup,” Baekhyun responds, gesturing to himself and Jongdae as he speaks. “I’m Baekhyun, and this is my boyfriend, Jongdae.” 

“Where are you heading?”

Baekhyun hesitates for a second, looking over at Jongdae as if for permission to answer. Jongdae bites his lip, unsure, but nods his head. If this pack is already here, perhaps they also heard the rumors.

“We’re going to the mountains,” Jongdae asserts, “There’s a rumor that there’s some sort of asylum up there, or transportation.” 

At the confession, the pack visibly relaxes. Vivi’s owner stands up, and brushes the dust off his pants. “That’s great! We’re heading there too!” He exclaims cheerfully. 

“Sehun,” The leader says warningly, but Sehun casts him a disapproving glance.

“Junmyeon, they’re Chosen too. Why don’t they just join us?” 

Baekhyun reaches for Jongdae’s hand, body tense with anticipation. This could be it, this could be the pack they’ve been searching for. Junmyeon sighs, and looks at the couple up and down. One of the other men, a short male with black hair, leans over to whisper something. Baekhyun and Jongdae exchange curious looks as the two finish their discussion. 

“Alright, if they want to,” Junmyeon says, but more targeted to Sehun rather than Baekhyun and Jongdae. “They can join our pack.” He finishes this declaration with a look at them.

“What do you think?” Baekhyun says, his voice soft, as he turns towards Jongdae. “This could be it.” 

Jongdae peers at the men once more, taking in their fit and lean bodes. These men are obviously fighters, having to survive this long. And Vivi is already trustful of Sehun.

He looks over at Baekhyun, and smiles. Baekhyun beams back, no more words necessary. He turns over to Junmyeon and nods once. 

“We’re in.” 

The men break into small smiles as Sehun cheers and excitedly shakes Baekhyun’s hand. Introductions are made. Junmyeon, the leader as predicted. Yixing. Minseok. Chanyeol. Jongin. Kyungsoo. A pack of lovers, friends, and siblings. A big family.

Jongdae feels his heart growing lighter with every word exchanged. They seem very friendly and close with each other, a sort of bond that Jongdae hasn’t felt in a very long time.

He and Baekhyun would fit in perfectly with them. Like the missing puzzle pieces to the pack. 

“Well then, now that everyone knows each other.” Junmyeon claps his hands together and breaks into a wide smile. “Let’s get the hell out of here.” 

As the pack of now nine men start to walk forward, Baekhyun hangs a little behind, waiting for Jongdae to catch up. He offers his hand, and Jongdae takes it without hesitation. 

Together. Baekhyun’s eyes seem to communicate. Earnestly and filled with promise.

Jongdae smiles and kisses him softly on the cheek. Together.

\-----

**Epilogue**

Asylum, it seems, is a mountain town populated only by Chosens lucky enough to make the dangerous journey through the forest and eventually clamber into one of the last work ski lifts that carries them up on the mountain. 

Asylum, it seems, is now home. 

Jongdae hums a song deep in his throat as he cuddles with Baekhyun on a rocking chair on the porch of their pack’s house. In front of them, the sun begins to set, sending shoots of orange and pink out through the sky. 

“What do you think?” Jongdae asks, reaching up to flick Baekhyun’s nose. His boyfriend sticks his tongue out at him, his eyes curling up into crescent moons. “Is this home?” 

Baekhyun smiles and tilts his head up to kiss Jongdae deeply on the lips. “Anywhere is home as long as I have you,” Baekhyun says simply, but it’s enough to send jolts of love and affection through Jongdae’s body. He presses his head to Baekhyun’s chest before he suddenly shifts his position until he’s straddling Baekhyun’s lap. Baekhyun lets out a little startled gasp, as his hands instantly find Jongdae’s hips. 

“I hope you didn’t forget, Baek,” Jongdae leans down to whisper in Baekhyun’s ear, blowing a little breath and sending shivers down the other’s back. “I think I still have a promise to keep.” 

Baekhyun shudders at the way Jongdae bites the outside of his ear, but grins excitedly and locks his hands around Jongdae’s waist, pulling the other down for a passionate kiss. 

Home, Jongdae decides, is wherever he is with Baekhyun. 

_ Fin _

  
  



End file.
